I am feeling day #3 of Evidence Week bubbling up from the primordial ooze!

Rational/Irrational

My wife, Linda, once told me of a certain fear she had. I tried to explain rationally and logically why she shouldn’t have that fear.  She looked at me in exasperation and said, ‘Marty, it’s not a RATIONAL fear, you can’t talk me out of it using rational ideas.’  And I was done. There was only one thing to do and that was to let her know I felt for her in that situation and give her assurance I would help her deal with the fear when I could.

Sailing on the Ship of Illogic

Whether it’s big issues about God & heaven or small issues about fear of bugs, we all have areas where our thinking and the actions that come from those feelings are not rational or logical. They aren’t based on evidence.  We all need to be empathetic in understanding how universal it is to behave irrationally.

The Wrong Brag

But knowing that we sometimes aren’t Mr. Spock doesn’t mean we should revel in our irrationality. At least for me, I work hard to minimize that irrationality in my life. I don’t brag about or declare how proud I am of my ignorance of science, mechanics and engineering. I am humbled by it and want to learn more about it.  And I make a concerted effort to do so.  I make better and wiser choices as a result and I am safer and happier as well.

The List Within

But the main problem with willfully ignoring evidence isn’t that we might not comprehend how electricity works (which I barely understand to this day).  It means we are very likely to be held hostage by superstition and fear in many, many areas of our lives.  And those can lead to danger and violence, discrimination and bigotry.  The list is so long.

Are you afraid of the evidence? Why so?

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Drawing and commentary by Marty Coleman, who is not.

Quote by Sam Harris, who also is not.

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